<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>He Died With a Smile on His Face by Jotun_Half_Breed</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24269665">He Died With a Smile on His Face</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jotun_Half_Breed/pseuds/Jotun_Half_Breed'>Jotun_Half_Breed</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Skulduggery Pleasant - Derek Landy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Grief/Mourning, Hurt Saracen Rue, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Saracen Death Scene, Saracen Dies, Seasons of War, Spoilers, What Have I Done, What Was I Thinking?, You Have Been Warned, You might cry, sort of a happy ending</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:49:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,368</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24269665</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jotun_Half_Breed/pseuds/Jotun_Half_Breed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The dying man shuffled close to him, and together, they walked out of the tent. With the forest nearby and none of the rebels in sight, they could walk freely. Dexter reached out to allow his fingertips to brush against the back of Saracen’s hand. They both knew what was going to happen.</p><p>I just read Seasons of War and cried over a certain death, so I had to get some feelings out. You might cry. Just saying. Do not read unless you are ready to have your heart torn out, though if you have read Seasons of War, you already have.</p><p>Also, SPOILERS!!!!!!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Saracen Rue/Dexter Vex, Valkyrie Cain &amp; Dexter Vex</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>He Died With a Smile on His Face</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tanith frowned as Skulduggery took both of Saracen’s hands and pulled him to his feet. There was something in his voice. Something forced.</p><p>Saracen stumbled slightly, and Skulduggery caught him, steadied him. “Are you good?” he asked quietly. </p><p>Saracen nodded, and Skulduggery stepped back.</p><p>Dexter glanced towards Tanith for just a second, watching as realisation dawned on her face, watching as she had to fight to stop herself from grabbing Saracen and pulling him back. But, there was no going back. It was too late.</p><p>“Come on, buddy,” said Dexter, wearing a fragile smile. He couldn’t let himself break, not now. This wasn’t about him, it was about Saracen.</p><p>The dying man shuffled close to him, and together, they walked out of the tent. With the forest nearby and none of the rebels in sight, they could walk freely. Dexter reached out to allow his fingertips to brush against the back of Saracen’s hand. They both knew what was going to happen. They passed the treeline, moving into a more sheltered area, Saracen giving a short hiss of pain as his fingers twitched towards his neck. Dexter caught his hand, pulling him closer to a tree and letting him slump against it.</p><p>“Don’t pick at it, love. You wouldn’t want to damage any of that pretty skin of yours,” Dexter murmured, stroking a finger along the other man’s cheekbone, watching his skin getting steadily paler.</p><p>Miraculously, Saracen’s lips twisted into a weak smile and he spoke for the first time in days. “Wouldn’t want that,” he slurred, wincing in pain as his voice tore at his dry throat. He forced himself to raise his head to meet Dexter’s eyes. “Nearly time.”</p><p>His legs were shaking and Dexter wrapped an arm around him, helping him to walk a few more meters until they could see a gap in the trees, sunlight making beautiful shapes on the trunks and making leaves shimmer, twirling as they fell from straining branches. Saracen was getting heavier and heavier, so when they reached the clearing, Dexter had no choice but to lower him to the floor next to a twisting elm tree. Saracen murmured something under his breath that he didn’t quite catch, gently reaching up a hand to tug at Dexter’s wrist. Dexter complied, slumping onto the ground, his back against the tree, taking his boyfriend by the hips and pulling him between his legs so he could lean his head under Dexter’s chin. Dexter pressed a tender kiss to his temple and began to card his fingers through Saracen’s raven hair. </p><p>“You comfortable?” </p><p>Saracen nodded, leaning into the touch and humming softly, his eyes flickering slightly, but remaining open, observing the scene around him. He was cold, but he didn’t shiver. He watched a pair of birds soar from the branch above their heads and fly side by side through the trees. It was beautiful here; the perfect place to spend your last moments. Dexter gently took his hand, intertwining their fingers as he unclipped his gun from his belt. Saracen twisted his head to look up at him, another strained smile on his perfect lips. His free hand was searching around his belt, finally pulling out the God-Killer dagger. Dexter blinked.</p><p>“You have to die a god’s death, don't you, Sar?” he croaked, pushing the gun away from him and teasing the dagger out of his boyfriend's stiff fingers. </p><p>Saracen didn’t answer. Instead, he turned onto his side, so his shoulder pressed against Dexter’s chest, his left ear flattened against Dexter’s collarbone. His breathing was slightly faster than usual, his grip on Dexter’s left hand tight, but still, he looked peaceful. Dexter was crying now, silent tears making their way down his cheeks. The dagger in his hand may as well have weighed a tonne.  He pressed his face into the back of Saracen’s neck.</p><p>“I love you,” he whimpered.</p><p>Saracen squeezed his hand in reply, not able to form those three simple words with his throat dry and cracked. Dexter knew he loved him. He didn’t need words to tell him that. </p><p>The dying man let out another low moan of pain. They were out of luck. They were out of time. Dexter gently tucked a strand of his boyfriend’s dark hair behind his ear, purposefully steadying the dagger against Saracen’s shoulder blade. </p><p>He took a deep breath. “You’re going to be ok, Sar.” </p><p>And then he sliced a thin gash along the other man’s shoulder and his boyfriend’s body lost all its tension, slumping on top of him. Saracen Rue was dead. Dexter dropped the dagger into the mud beneath them and clung to Saracen’s limp form, sobs heaving from his throat. Finally, when he had got his breathing under control, he moved out from under his dead boyfriend, laying him on his back in the dirt. He stroked his slackened jaw, gently taking one of his hands in his own, staring at the shadow of a smile that remained on his lips. Saracen had always wanted to die smiling. He leaned forwards, pressing a gentle kiss to those smirking lips one last time. </p><p>“I’m sorry, Sar,” he whispered, before clicking his fingers, summoning a ball of fire and setting his lover ablaze. The smoke curled up into the leaves above them, Saracen’s ashes slowly beginning to coat the forest floor. He stayed until there was nothing left to burn, then stood, picking up the bow, the dagger and his gun. “We’re going to win this, Sar,” he said to the air around him. “Just for you. I promise.”</p><p>When he reached the tent, it was dark, but Tanith, Serpine and Skulduggery were still there. Serpine opened his mouth to say something but stopped as Dexter dropped the God-Killer dagger onto the table. Skulduggery stood and he gave his fellow Dead Man a small nod, before climbing into his bed and curling up under the covers. Inside, he was empty. He had to be. He had a mission to finish, a promise to keep. When all of this was over, he would cry. And he would arrange a proper memorial service for him. Something small, with lots of drinks, and fireworks. Saracen would have liked that. But, for now, he had a mission to complete. He had to be empty.</p><p><br/>
~~~</p><p><br/>
“Dexter!” Valkyrie called. </p><p>The battle was over, they were all in bandages, they were all alive. He limped to Valkyrie’s side, giving her his bravest smile. “Hey, Val. What is it?”</p><p>“Where’s Saracen? I haven’t seen him.”</p><p>Something cold grew in his chest. She didn’t know. His vision swam in tears.</p><p>“Val," he whispered. "He was bitten,”</p><p>Valkyrie froze, her eyes widening. “No, he can’t be.” She was shaking her head, tears running down her cheeks. “No, please, Dexter. He has to be alive!”</p><p>She slowly collapsed to her knees, her body shaking and Dexter gently lowered himself down next to her, very aware of the tears soaking his own face. He embraced her softly, letting her bury her face in his jacket. She had lost so much in so little time.</p><p>“He lasted much longer than he should have,” he whispered. “And when he did go, he went smiling. He was ok, Val. He knew what he was getting into.”</p><p>She looked up at him, her face soaked in salty tears. “Who- Did you- Who was with him? In the end?”</p><p>“I was,” he sighed. “And I promise you, he was happy.”</p><p>She nodded, wiping her eyes, giving a shaky smile. “Then he was ok. I’m glad. I’m glad he wasn’t alone.”</p><p>Dexter smiled back. “He died a god's death. I was thinking of doing some sort of service to remember him by. Maybe put up a statue. He always wanted a statue.”</p><p>Valkyrie laughed weakly. “I think he’d like that. Saracen Rue: a hero until the end.”</p><p>Another tear fell from Dexter's eyelashes. “Yeah. He was.”</p><p>Saracen Rue was a lot of things: a hero, a warrior, an idiot, a friend, a Dead Man, a Lynceus, but overall, he was Saracen. Saracen Rue: the man he loved, the man he had lost. Saracen Rue: who was with him until the end. Who loved him until the end.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please leave kudos and comments! Please tell me I wasn't the only one who cried. I can't be the only one, can I? </p><p>Also: I know Dexter/Saracen isn't canon... yet. I have read the books. But I still ship them.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>